


Ten Feet Away

by ReluctantHero



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Ereri valentine's day, Friends to Lovers, Inspired by The Office, Love Confessions, M/M, Minor Jean Kirstein/Eren Yeager, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:28:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23600827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReluctantHero/pseuds/ReluctantHero
Summary: When Eren finally decides to stop making excuses for his long time boyfriend, he realizes that true love was sitting ten feet away from him all along.
Relationships: Levi/Eren Yeager
Comments: 18
Kudos: 201





	Ten Feet Away

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! It's been a while hasn't it?
> 
> My sabbatical, as I like to call it, is still on as I have yet to rekindle the passion I used to have for... everything.  
> However, I had recently started watching the office and have fallen in love with Jim and Pam.  
> Had a spark of inspiration during the Valentine's episode on Season 2 and wrote a little continuation.
> 
> Then I decided to Ereri-ize it and share with you lovely people.  
> Added a little background so if you haven't seen the Office it should still make sense.
> 
> It's very short, but I hope you like it!

“So what should we do tonight?” Eren asked as Jean pulled the car into the parking lot of their shared workplace. 

Eren had thought it was great when he was first hired; working in the same place as his fiancé. They could see each other throughout the day, could attend all work events together even if significant others were not invited, and spend extra quality time together on their daily commute. 

Except Jean always needed the morning ride to wake up for the day and the ride home was time to wind down after a long day. They still had the evenings to talk about their day… but then Jean didn’t like talking about work. 

“How about Chinese?” Jean asked. 

“No, I mean what do you want to do? Its Valentine’s day,” Eren asked again. 

Aw babe, you know I don’t like to go out after work, can’t we do it tomorrow?” Jean asked with a huff. 

“Yeah, okay.” Eren said quietly as they got out of their car and made their way into the building. 

They said goodbye at the elevator with a quick kiss and went to their separate floors for the day. Eren wished for at least a little more romance on Valentines day but it was okay, he didn’t mind it that much, he still had Levi. 

Levi worked in customer service, which seemed like a misplacement with his stern face and cold personality but he was so much more than his first impression. He was actually exceptionally good with people when it came to his job. He was sweet when you got to know him, and had the best sense of humor. 

Eren and Levi would talk regularly throughout the day, often times gossiping about some of their coworkers, or playing harmless pranks on Zeke; the assistant manager and Eren's half brother. 

Time with Levi had always been the best part of Eren’s work day. At least having him to talk to about the excitement and frustrations of work, he didn’t have to bother Jean with it. 

That sentence in itself should have caused some red flags, but that was just Jean, it didn’t mean he didn’t love Eren. Like it would be nice if Jean helped a little with the wedding plans, but he had finally stepped up and proposed a few months ago. They had been together since high school, that had to count for something, right? 

Eren made his way to his desk, giving a small wave to Levi before sitting down. He wondered if Levi would give him a silly little Valentine’s card like he usually did. It was always something stupid and corny that they would make them laugh and make fun of the goofy love struck couples on Valentine’s day. 

“Eren speaking,” Eren said, answering his desk phone. 

“Hey Eren,” Levi’s voice came through the phone, making Eren smile and look over to him as they spoke. 

So which of these losers do you think will get Valentine’s delivered today?” Levi asked. 

“Um.. Krista definitely,” Eren said. 

“Of course, her girlfriend is insane, she’ll probably cover that desk before the day is out” Levi agreed, making Eren chuckle quietly. 

“Maybe Annie,” Eren suggested. 

“You think?” Levi asked, leaning over to take a look at Annie from across the room. 

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure she’s secretly dating Armin,” Eren said 

“Really?” Levi said with mild curiosity, “What about Zeke?” 

“Absolutely,” Eren said without hesitation. 

“You’re joking…” Levi said flatly. 

“Nope. But it’ll be from his Mom,” Eren said grinning as Levi laughed in his ear. 

“Okay, I’ll give you that,” Levi said, still laughing as they said their goodbyes to do some work. 

The worst part of sitting close to the door was that he saw every person who walked through it, though due to their little game, it was the perfect location. 

Eren called Levi every time a courier walked in with a Valentine gift. They would watch with hidden smiles as Krista, being the receptionist would sign and bring the gift to its owner. By lunchtime the tally was three for Krista, one for Moblit in HR, one for Petra in Customer Service with Levi, and an anonymous gift for Annie as Eren had predicted. 

It was highly amusing for most of the day. That was until the gifts kept coming for everyone except him. He had told Jean he didn’t want an extravagant gift for Valentine’s day, but a small bouquet of flowers or a stupid little teddy bear would have been nice. He hadn’t even wished him a Happy Valentine’s day when he dropped in on his way back from lunch. Offering him nothing more than a dirty smirk and a wink that he’d get a gift later that night. 

After that, every courier that walked in made Eren cringe. Kristen’s girlfriend sent her a few more gifts, almost everyone else in the office received a gift, even Zeke which caused Levi to call him almost crying because it was in fact from his Mom. 

Eren felt foolish getting upset over it, Jean had never been one to surprise Eren with romantic gifts or displays of affection. But the worst part of the entire day was that Levi hadn’t given him the silly card he had come to cherish. 

That was foolish too. Eren shouldn’t have expected it, he had a fiancé; it was inappropriate for Levi to give him something. 

Levi seemed to sense Eren’s change of feeling throughout the day, easing off on the jokes part way through. Finally the day was coming to a close and everyone had started filtering out of the office slowly. Eren usually staggered behind, waiting for Jean who hadn’t left work on time more than twice in the three years they had worked together. 

Eren watched sadly as Levi makes his way the door, a friendly smile on his lips as he passed. 

"Oh, Happy Valentine's Day Jager," Levi turned back toward him with his crooked grin. The one that always made Erens heart flutter quietly in his chest. He knew he shouldn’t have those feelings around Levi but sometimes he couldn’t help but let them bubble to the surface. Especially when things with Jean were going less than perfect. 

“Oh, how did this get in here?” Levi asked taking a step back to Eren's desk while reaching into the inside jacket pocket. His crooked grin returned and slipped into a full smile as he pulled out a single red rose. Simply wrapped in plastic with a baby’s breath with a satin pink ribbon around the outside. 

“Well I really have no use for this, how about you take it off my hands?” he asked as Eren stared at him, his mouth agape and speechless. He took the rose from his hand, unable to even say thank you before Levi winked and headed back toward the door. 

Eren felt his eyes well up with tears as he brought the flower to his nose to breath in the beautiful scent. What was he doing? Why couldn’t he accept what was right in front of him? Was it fear? Loyalty? The safety of what he had always known? 

Eren and Jean had been together for years, if they were meant to be married they would be by now, wouldn’t they? Instead of planning a wedding by himself for a man that considered a romantic Valentine’s Day evening was greasy Chinese takeout and a romp in the sac. Which honestly was sub-par at best. 

Levi cared about him, he believed in him, he loved him… at least it seemed like it. 

Maybe he was just friendly, maybe he was just acting on memories of an old crush he promised had passed long ago. But the truth of it was, Eren loved Levi. 

Eren had been denying it for years but he was just so tired of fighting it. It had become harder and harder since that day a month before. When Levi confessed the feeling he had for Eren when they had first began working together. It had made Eren’s heart race in his chest and chest rise in his cheeks as he thought of what he could possibly say. Luckily, or so he had thought at the time, Levi assured him it was old feelings that had long since faded into friendship. 

Eren told himself he was relieved, ignoring the disappointment that bubbled up inside while he watched Levi return to his desk and leave Eren to continue his life with Jean. 

But Eren didn’t love Jean. His feelings for him had turned from love to obligation years ago. His soulmate had been sitting ten feet away from him everyday for years and it was time to do something about it. 

Even if he was wrong and Levi didn’t love him back, it was better to try than to live a miserable life with Jean always wondering ‘what if?’ 

“Levi, wait!” Eren yelled and took off out the door. 

“Eren, what’s wrong?” Levi asked, still waiting for the elevator down the hallway from their office. His eyes widening with worry as Eren rushed toward him with the rose still in hand. 

“Look, I’m sorry if the rose was too much. I just…” Levi began nervously. 

“Don’t!” Eren interrupted with a sudden bout of bravery coursing through his veins. His hands slipped to Levi’s neck, cupping his face and leaning down to pull Levi into a heated kiss; filled with years worth of denied passion. 

Levi kissed back without hesitation, his small hands reaching around Eren’s waist and pulling him close. Things were over with Jean, he refused to pretend any longer. Even if his and Levi's love was short lived, which by the kiss they were sharing would not be the case; Eren would never regret this moment. 

“I love you,” Eren said, pulling out of the kiss and looking down into Levi’s eyes. Levi's face melting into a broad smile. 

“You have no idea how long I have been waiting to hear that from you,” he said, before lifting up onto his toes to whisper in Eren's ear: I love you too 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think!


End file.
